Late Hong Kong singer Anita Mui's mother disowns son due to debts
HONG KONG - Madam Tam Mei Kam, the mother of Hong Kong pop diva Anita Mui, has disowned her elder son Mui Kai Ming due to his debts.
In a notice published in local newspapers on Monday (Feb 14), Madam Tam, 98, announced that she has severed ties with her 70-year-old son, adding that she will have nothing to do with all matters concerning him henceforth.
Mr Mui is Madam Tam's only surviving child. Her younger daughter, Anita Mui, died at the age of 40 in December 2003 from cervical cancer.
Madam Tam's younger son Mui Tak Ming died of throat cancer at the age of 62 in 2015, while her elder daughter, singer-actress Ann Mui, died of cervical cancer at the age of 40 in 2000.
Madam Tam and Mr Mui Kai Ming's relationship began to sour in late 2021 when he sued the production company behind the movie Anita (2021) for alleged trademark infringements.
The biopic of the Cantopop superstar featured model Louise Wong in her acting debut as Mui, with actor Terrance Lau playing another late Cantopop legend, Leslie Cheung.
Madam Tam, who has been supportive of her son in the past, accused him of being obsessed with money and issued a statement distancing herself from the lawsuit.
She disclosed that she had cut him off financially six months ago after learning that he has a mistress and threatened to disown him if he did not drop the lawsuit.
She made good on her word on Monday and told Hong Kong's Oriental Daily News that she was forced to do so by her son.
According to the newspaper, she resorted to the drastic measure as he has approached her frequently for money to pay off his debts.
Madam Tam is currently hospitalised for an illness.
Mr Mui admitted to the media that he was in debt, but claimed it was not a big sum of money.
He said it was incurred from a hotel stay by his son, who had returned from Malaysia.
"My son has to serve 21 days in quarantine when he returned to Hong Kong, with money needed for the stay," Mr Mui said.
He added his mother had requested her grandson to spend Chinese New Year in Hong Kong.
He accused his relatives of instigating his mother to disown him, saying she had refused to pick up his calls from before Chinese New Year.
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